From a humbling debut to a statement victory, Racine Kane’s journey in the UAAP boys’ basketball tournament has come full circle.
Tasked with guarding the league’s reigning MVP, Collins Akowe, in his very first game for University of Santo Tomas, the Senegalese forward struggled against the powerhouse National University Nazareth School.
But when the chance for redemption came six weeks later, Kane made sure the outcome was different—this time, he dominated.
During the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Tournament opener on January 19, Akowe and the Bullpups gave Kane and the Tiger Cubs a rude awakening, cruising to a 71-60 victory that eventually led to a 13-game winning streak.
In that game, Akowe dominated with 21 points, 26 rebounds, four blocks, one steal, and one assist, while Kane struggled, finishing with just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, five steals, and four blocks.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
More than six weeks later, Kane finally got his chance to even the score in a game with major postseason implications.
Determined to exact revenge on Akowe and the Bullpups, Kane powered the Tiger Cubs to a commanding 76-56 victory, snapping NUNS’ perfect run and forcing a traditional Final Four format in the playoffs.
Kane delivered 18 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals, denying the Bullpups their first elimination-round sweep since Season 82 in 2019—and, more importantly, preventing them from securing an outright Finals berth.
But perhaps his biggest impact came on the defensive end.
Kane spearheaded UST’s second-half defensive stand against Akowe, holding him scoreless after an eight-point first half.
The presumptive Best Foreign Student Athlete (FSA) awardee saw his remarkable 13-game double-double streak snapped, finishing with just eight points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks.
“Yes, because in the first game, I was too excited to play and there were some nerves,” the 6-foot-6 forward told Tiebreaker Times.
“But this time around, I acknowledged that I myself and the team can do better, especially against Collins, which showed in our defensive efforts on him and in the win.”
Earlier in the season, UST head coach Manu Inigo made a bold claim: the Best FSA wasn’t Akowe, DLSZ’s Cameroonian center Christian Mben, or UE’s Ivorian big man Jean Bana—it was Kane.
Kane’s stellar performance against Akowe seemed to validate Inigo’s statement, but the veteran mentor downplayed the individual battle, keeping the focus on UST’s ultimate goal: winning the championship.
“Well, talaga namang sobrang dominant ni Collins, lalo na pagdating sa paint, pero like what I believe, Racine’s better. Nakita naman ngayon na talagang trinabaho ni Racine, pero sabi ko nga wala kaming pakialam who’s better, ang habol talaga namin is mag-champion,” Inigo shared.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
With the Tiger Cubs (12-2) securing the second seed and their best finish since Season 72 in 2009, Kane acknowledged the need for both personal and team growth as they push to end UST’s 24-year championship drought.
For UST to claim its first UAAP boys’ basketball title since Season 64 in 2001, Inigo will need more of Kane’s all-around brilliance. The Senegalese standout averaged 17.15 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.08 steals, 1.69 blocks, and 1.54 assists throughout the eliminations, finishing fourth in the MVP race.
“Today, we played like we were already starting our Final Four. That’s why we gave it everything, and we know we can do better next game. Every day, every time we have a game, we come together like today,” said the Cous Prive Gainde Fatma alumnus.
“We just have to win it all. For now, we cannot talk about anything—just wait until the end, until the results show themselves.”
